Former captain Tamim Iqbal takes over as Bangladesh Cricket Board chief

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has been elected president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), becoming the youngest person to hold the position after securing an overwhelming mandate in the board's election.

The 37-year-old former opener was elected for a four-year term after receiving 73 votes from 75 councillors at the election held at the Sher-e Bangla National Stadium on Sunday. Tamim becomes the 21st president in the history of the BCB.

Tamim had already been serving as head of the board's ad hoc committee since April, when he took charge following the removal of the previous leadership after a corruption probe.

Addressing the media after his election, Tamim acknowledged the scale of the challenges facing Bangladesh cricket and indicated that structural reforms would require broad support from stakeholders.

"There are a lot of things, loopholes, and if we all agree together we will discuss them in the next AGM," Tamim said.

"This is not like a board of 12 or 13 people where one person says something and it is done. We have to deal with 1,972 councillors. So they also have to agree. But for the betterment of Bangladesh cricket, if any constitutional changes are needed, we will definitely discuss and consider them."

The former batter stressed that meaningful changes would take time, saying he was still getting acquainted with many members of the cricket administration.

"It is very new for me because I still have to mix with all these people. I may not know more than half of them. I met them for the first time. So give us some time, let us discuss, and then we will find out where improvements are needed," he said.

Tamim also pledged greater transparency and accountability in the functioning of the board.

"I hope we can be as transparent as possible. Because I am sure I do not want any of my board members to do anything that makes us controversial. From my side and from the whole board's side, we will try to act with full honesty," he added.

One of Bangladesh's most accomplished cricketers, Tamim Iqbal represented the national team for 15 years, playing 70 Tests and 243 One-Day Internationals. Widely regarded as one of Bangladesh's finest batters, he now takes charge of the country's cricket administration at a time when the board faces scrutiny over governance and structural issues.

The BCB was also in the spotlight earlier this year following a contentious dispute involving India over the omission of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL despite securing a deal with Kolkata Knight Riders. Tamim had publicly advised against escalating tensions over the matter.

His election marks the beginning of a new chapter for Bangladesh cricket, with expectations high that the former captain will bring both administrative stability and a player's perspective to the boardroom.

With PTI inputs